Month: April 2026

Top 5 Stats

Posted on by Troy Jackson

As we reach the end of the first week of April, it is time for a belated monthly Top 5 Stat update. Thus far, we have three anglers who have contributed a total of sixteen largemouth bass. The Jackson brothers have managed to land a limit and are set to continue culling fish to boost their weights. Defending champ, Jim Junk, has yet to round out his initial limit but has staked a claim to the Top Bass of 2026. In an interesting development, every single bass submitted this year has been caught on a chatterbait. Read on for the full breakdown of the numbers.

2026 Totals
March = 11 bass
April = 5 bass

Top 5 Weight by Month
March = 14-8 (4-4,2-13,2-10,2-7,2-6)
April = 12-2 (4-1,2-9,2-5,2-0,1-3)

Boat vs. Bank
Boat = 6 bass
Bank = 10 bass

Boat vs. Bank Weight
Boat = 13-7 (4-1,2-9.2-7,2-6,2-0)
Bank = 14-7 (4-4,2-13,2-10,2-6,2-6)

Public vs. Private
Public = 16 bass
Private = 0 bass

Public vs. Private Top 5 Weight
Public = 16-5 (4-4,4-1,2-13,2-10,2-9)
Private = Not applicable

The Baits
Chatterbait = 16 bass (Top Bass 4-4 Jim Junk)

Monthly Top Bass
March
4-4 Jim Junk
April
4-1 Brent Jackson

2026 Top 10 Bass
4-4 Jim Junk 3/2
4-1 Brent Jackson 4/3
2-13 Troy Jackson 3/22
2-10 Troy Jackson 3/22
2-9 Brent Jackson 4/3
2-7 Troy Jackson 3/29
2-6 Jim Junk 3/22
2-6 Troy Jackson 3/22
2-5 Brent Jackson 4/3
2-3 Troy Jackson 3/22

Angler Weights
Troy Jackson 12-7 (2-13,2-10,2-7,2-6,2-3)
Brent Jackson 12-2 (4-1,2-9,2-5,2-0,1-3)
Jim Junk 6-10 (4-4,2-6)

A solid start and looking forward to some stable warm weather on the horizon locally. Hopefully we can take advantage and dodge the storms in the forecast to add more catches. Good luck out there, send your catches my way at troy@troyjacksonoutdoors.com, and talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Update

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Brent had a great Friday on Good Friday as he got on the water for the first time, trying his luck at the Knox County strip pits. He selected a spot that allowed kayaking access rather than opting for a hike and/or bike trip. As the results show, his approach worked out quite well.

Weight: 4-1
Angler: Brent Jackson
Date: April 3
Weather: Overcast/breezy
Location: Knox County public strip pit
Lure: Chatterbait

Weight: 2-9
Angler: Brent Jackson
Date: April 3
Weather: Overcast/breezy
Location: Knox County public strip pit
Lure: Chatterbait

Weight: 2-5
Angler: Brent Jackson
Date: April 3
Weather: Overcast/breezy
Location: Knox County public strip pit
Lure: Chatterbait

Weight: 2-0
Angler: Brent Jackson
Date: April 3
Weather: Overcast/breezy
Location: Knox County public strip pit
Lure: Chatterbait

Weight: 1-3
Angler: Brent Jackson
Date: April 3
Weather: Overcast/breezy
Location: Knox County public strip pit
Lure: Chatterbait
Angler Comments: A pretty good day. The wind was tolerable and my hands did not get cold. I think two of the two-pounders and the four-pounder came from about the same place. The spot where a log comes out in the deeper bowl area. (Editor’s Note: Fortunately, I know exactly where that spot is and it has long been a winner.)
Top 5 Weight: 12-2 (4-1,2-9,2-5,2-0,1-3)

Great to get a report from Brent and all told he logged just over two hours on the water and landed six bass with the five above being “keepers” to fill out his initial Top 5 limit of 2026. Thus far, it looks to be the Year of the Chatterbait as all sixteen of our 2026 Top 5 submissions courtesy of three different anglers have been caught on the lure. Good luck out there and talk to you later. Troy

Hennepin Canal Report – March 30

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Following a morning appointment and before having to pick up the boys from school, I took advantage of a few open hours to make a short trip to The Canal. Weather was pleasant although quite windy but when walking The Canal, it typically doesn’t cause any issues beyond slightly affecting casting accuracy. Read on for the results and notes from a solid outing.

10:26am – First bass and Top Bass at 1-15 (16″) on a chatterbait

Stats
Date: March 30
Location: Hennepin Canal
Time: 10:20am-12:40pm
Totals: 5 bass
Weather: Sunny/very windy, 57F
Water temperature: Not available
Lures: Z-Man Chatterbait (sexy shad) with BPS Speed Shad trailer (sight fish) – 5 bass
Top Bass: 1-15 Chatterbait
Top 3 Weight (only 3 bass at 12” or better): 5-4 (1-15,1-13,1-8)

And on my fifth visit of the year, The Canal said, “Let there be slime.”

Notes and Nonsense

Slime Time – The shallow, fertile waters of The Canal on the stretch where I was fishing sport an extensive collection of aquatic vegetation as the water begins to warm. Well, apparently, it has already warmed enough to see an explosion of slimy, green algae that I appealingly refer to as “snot grass.” In addition, clumps of surface vegetation are floating throughout the waterway and are beginning to extend out several feet from the shoreline. The snot grass fouls deeper presentations, and the surface clumps require yanking your lure from the water several feet before it reaches the bank.

Shoreline scum, submerged slime, and dingy water greeted me on this visit

Dirty Water – I have fished this stretch of The Canal multiple times this year and on those previous trips the water clarity was quite clear. This aids me in spotting the submerged pieces of wood that are among my primary targets. The added visibility is particularly helpful when windy conditions cause chop on the surface. On this trip, the wind was really whipping and seemed to have stirred up the shallows causing a noticeable decline in water clarity.

Winning lure again, and all year thus far

Chatterbait Streak – In landing all five bass from this outing on a chatterbait, the lure has now caught every one of my bass in 2026. The 32 for 32 streak to begin the year is unheard of as other lures such as a lipless crankbait, spinnerbait, jig, or Ned Rig have always pitched in to start the season. Part of the equation is that the chatterbait is an effective presentation on The Canal in the shallow and increasingly weedy water. However, I have also spent several hours on Lake Storey and the strip mines where the chatterbait had success as well. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

12:17pm – Top Bass Runner-up at 1-13 (15.5″) on a chatterbait

Early on, April has left much to be desired in terms of weather and other priorities have prevented me from getting on the water. But there’s plenty of month left to see if I can work in another Lake Storey trip and put in some time on the strip mines. Speaking of the strip mines, Brent took a shot recently and had impressive results. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s Top 5 Update that features a batch of his catches. Talk to you later. Troy

Lake Storey Report – March 29

Posted on by Troy Jackson

After a productive late summer and fall on Lake Storey last year, I made a goal to spend more time on the old lake this year. I am hoping to get out there once a month and so far so good with this March outing. An added wrinkle on this trip was fishing out of the old johnboat on the lake for the first time in over thirty-five years.

Stats
Date: March 29
Location: Lake Storey, Knox County, IL
Time: 11:20am-3:50pm
Totals: 2 bass
Weather: Overcast/very windy, 57-60F
Water temperature: Not available
Lure: Z-Man Chatterbait (sexy shad) with BPS Speed Shad trailer (sight fish) – 2 bass
Top Bass: 2-7 Chatterbait
Top 2 Weight (only 2 at 12” or better): 4-2 (2-7,1-11)

Starting lineup

Tune of the Trip
“Old days, good times I remember”
Old Days – Chicago (1975)
It has been a long time since I rowed around Lake Storey as we got spoiled back in the late 1980s when Dad bought a bass boat. Good times back then, and a good time all these years later.

11:55am – First bass at 1-11 (15″) on a chatterbait

Notes and Nonsense

Drawdown – Normally the lake would be near full pool as winter snowmelt and runoff bring the water level back to normal. However, the lake remains close to full drawdown. The explanation that I have heard is that the lake will remain lowered to facilitate the construction of a walking path extension on the south side of the lake. Currently, there is a path that runs along the west and north sides of the lake. Completion of the project will make a circuit around the entire lake area.

Brush clearing along the south side of the lake

Ramps – As a consequence of the lake remaining lowered, launching a boat is not possible at the east ramp and at your own risk on the west ramp. The east ramp is high and dry, and the west ramp has a nasty drop at the end which could damage your boat trailer. For this reason, I opted to go old school and drag my little johnboat down in proximity to the west ramp to take my shot. In addition, I stuck with oars rather than having to lug around a trolling motor and battery. It worked fine, just as it did all those years ago.

1:37pm – Top Bass at 2-7 (16″) on chatterbait

Float Trip – The plan on this outing was reminiscent of the float trips we used to enjoy on some Henderson County creeks. Mom and Dad were kind enough to help me out with a vehicle move. After I launched the boat at the west ramp, Dad drove his truck to the east ramp to leave it for me and hitched a ride with Mom. This approach allowed me to fish the entire length of the lake without having to turn around and row back to where I launched.

Winning lure as the chatterbait has landed all twenty-seven of my 2026 bass to date

A squadron, pod, scoop, or pouch of pelicans (yes, I had to cheat and look that up on the internet)

While I did not fool many bass on this early season visit to Lake Storey, I was pleased that I gave it a shot. One month down and hopefully more to come whether I must stick with the little boat or can get Dad’s boat back on the water. Next up is another Hennepin Canal visit to round out my March fishing. Talk to you later. Troy

Top 5 Trip Tunes – March

Posted on by Troy Jackson

Trip Tunes are back for another year with the first batch of 2026. Rather than covering a specific outing, I have compiled a Top 5 list of tunes from the airwaves over my collection of trips from the month of March.

5. 1985 – Bowling for Soup (2004)
Jayce and I heard this tune as we headed out for our March 8 trip, and he mentioned that the sound reminded him of the Phineas and Ferb theme song. Well, I looked it up and sure enough Bowling for Soup contributed the cut. I complimented Jayce on his identification as the boy does have an ear for tunes. An added note is that 1985 holds a special spot for me as that was the year that I graduated high school.

4. Summer of ’69 – Bryan Adams (1985)
Sticking with the 1985 theme, I saw my first real concert at the Five Seasons Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in the summer of ’85. Me and some guys from school took in Bryan Adams with John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown Band as the opening act. Per John Junk, one of the friends that attended the concert, the Beaver Brown Band is the lone band to be named after a color of paint (check out Wikipedia if you don’t believe John, also see Eddie and the Cruisers).

 

3. Time – Alan Parsons Project (1981)
Although this group has an impressive catalog, you rarely hear an APP cut on the airwaves. This track represents how your interpretation of a song changes over the years and how it can take you back in time. Hearing this tune on the radio at fourteen years old versus hearing it on the radio with sixty on the horizon just hits differently. It also brings back memories of WLS 890 AM beginning to split time on my clock radio with a fledgling radio station called “Q-93.” I knew exactly how far to turn the dial when switching between the AM to FM bands as I enjoyed my tunes while drifting off to dream in the dark.

2. Oh, Sherrie – Steve Perry (1984)
Does anyone else have instances where you can go back in your mind to an exact scenario when you heard a song? Interestingly, this instance was on a fishing trip. I was with some buddies on a summer mission to Henderson County to chase some catfish on a creek and the Mississippi River. Funny thing is, I recall hearing this tune, but I do not recall our fishing results as they must not have been particularly productive. It was far from the first time that I’d heard this tune as it was all over the airwaves in the summer of 1984.

1. Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man) – Styx (1978)
The classic Styx lineup consisted of two primary songwriters, Dennis DeYoung and Tommy Shaw. I have favorites penned by either member but if I had to choose, I would go with the Shaw tunes, hands down. Primarily due to Shaw having a more rock approach, while DeYoung was more showtime or theater. Nothing is wrong with either style, I just prefer the rock angle. As far as the song and a possible interpretation of the message, here we are again (or still) nearly fifty years after the release. And that’s all I have to say about that.

While that wraps up the March tunes, there are still a pair of March fishing reports in the works. Stay tuned and talk to you later. Troy